TOP GOLF NOW OPEN IN LOUDOUN

If you’ve been driving down Route 7 in Ashburn these past few months, there’s no doubt you have been wondering what those huge, sky-reaching posts were that were installed right next to One Loudoun. Well we finally have an answer for you. Behold… TOP GOLF! This “ultimate venue for fun” is like a driving range on steroids, where experienced and novice golfers can enjoy the game together.JS Realty TopGolf logo

Located at 20356 Commonwealth Center Drive in Ashburn, Top Golf take the driving range concept to a whole new level – 3 levels, in fact! The new location in Loudoun features more than 100 driving range bays over 3 floors, a rooftop terrace and bar, 200+ HDTV’s, and free WiFi.

Top Golf JS Realty
Photo credit: WTOP/Michelle Basch

Gone are the days of driving golf balls out into the distance over and over again. 15 years ago, the Jollifee brothers set out in improve not only their golf swing, but the entire experience as well. Enter Top Golf, with it’s combination of competition and entertainment, complete with high-tech golf balls that can instantly tell you the distance and accuracy of your shot!  The invention of these “smart” golf balls lead to the development of several golf ball hitting games. Players compete against each other while enjoying some quality food and drinks (including brunch & gluten free options!), in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.JSRealty4U

Open 7 days a week, and with over 20 locations across the US & the UK, this ultimate combination of sports & fun is a great place for a date, a guys night out, or even a corporate event. In fact, The JS Realty Team will be having a team function at Top Golf in the very near future, and we cannot wait!


Did you know that there are homes just minutes from this family-friendly sports venue? Contact us today and we can help you find an amazing home in the area.

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MEET THE STEP SISTERS

Today we’d like to introduce you to The Step Sisters, one of the 4 local charities that the JS Realty Team supports!

JS Realty Step Sisters breast cancer factThe Step Sisters began in 2005, with a small group of women and men who’d been impacted by breast cancer in some way. Now over 100 “members” strong, the Step Sisters recently made a huge shift in their fundraising goals and focused in on a specific mission: to support and provide much needed quality-of-life services for local breast cancer patients.

Based in Loudoun County’s Brambleton community, these breast cancer JS Realty StepSisters logo2survivors, mothers, sisters, daughters, brothers, sons, and fathers who have all been touched by this terrible disease have raised more than $500,000 for the breast cancer cause. Wanting to help local patients in a positive way, The Step Sisters partnered with INOVA Loudoun Hospital, INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital and INOVA Fairfax Hospital and now fund four main services for breast cancer patients: fresh food delivery, house cleaning, child care, and transportation to and from appointments.

Interested in helping The Step Sisters and their mission? There are several ways to make a difference – and have some fun!

JS Realty Step Sisters scramble golfKick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month by registering for the 2015 Step Sisters Scramble Golf Tournament! The 4-person scramble, followed by a lunch and awards reception will take place on Thursday, October 8th at the The Golf Club of Lansdowne.

JS Realty Step Sisters ribbon-run-logoMark your calendar for the 8th annual Brambleton Ribbon Run/Walk on Saturday, April 16, 2016.  This certified 5K & 10K race also includes a Kids Fun Run!

Make a Donation. Funds are directed to helping The Step Sisters provide quality-of-life services to local breast cancer patients. As the organization grows, they hope to expand their service offerings.

The Step Sisters is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.


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DO I NEED A DOWN PAYMENT?

Being a homeowner has lots of perks – you get a nice tax deduction, you are building equity in your home, and hey – you can paint the walls whatever color suits your taste!

There’s quite a lot of data to be found about loans, interest rates, and insurance costs. And it’s pretty easy to find out what a home will cost in the area you’d like to purchase in. But there’s not a lot of information on how much money you will need to pay “out of pocket” in order to actually buy a house. Everyone’s circumstances are different and you may have thousands of dollars saved up – or maybe just a few hundred.JS Realty No down payment Blackboard with 3d house

Typically, a borrower (that’s mortgage lingo for “person who applied for a loan”), will have to make a payment at closing which consists of a down payment and closing costs. There are instances where this amount can be zero – or very close to it! Let’s look at some cases where this would be true.

JS Realty House, Veteran, Military.The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) guarantees VA loans and are available for eligible veterans, service members and surviving spouses (provided they do not remarry). VA loans can provide 100% financing and will even allow the VA funding fee to be added to the loan amount. This takes care of the need for a down payment. Closing costs can be covered by seller credits, lender credits or realtor credits which can result in a closing where no money is needed on the buyer’s part. VA loans don’t have the need to pay mortgage insurance.

JS Realty Mortgage application form with a calculator and house.Another scenario where a buyer can escape the need for a down payment is a loan from the Federal Housing Administration, known as an FHA Plus loan. Most FHA loans require a down payment of 3.5%. With the FHA Plus loan, there is a first mortgage based on 96.5% of the sales price and a second mortgage of 3.5% to 5% of the sales price. Again, if third party credits are available to pay the closing costs, no money is needed at closing. Unlike the VA loans, FHA loan have both upfront mortgage insurance premiums as well as monthly mortgage insurance payments.

JS Realty Farmhouse in a pastoral environmentA third loan option that has no down payment is a USDA loan. USDA loans are designed for lower-income borrowers and there are geographical restrictions regarding the purchased properties. The home purchased must be a primary residence and in a rural area that with a general population limit of 20,000 or less.

JS Realty Refinance Monney Calculator BillsConventional, conforming loans of $417,000 or less can be obtained for as little as a 3% down payment. Keep in mind that with a loan that has a loan-to-value of 97%, the cost of mortgage insurance will be higher on both single premium mortgage insurance as well as with monthly mortgage insurance when compared to loans with a down payment of 5% or more.

With conventional loans, mortgage insurance will be needed with any single mortgage loans with less than a 20% down payment.

Every borrower has unique loan scenarios based on credit scores, cash available for down payments and closing costs, eligibility for various loan types, etc. As a loan officer, I take great pride in fully understanding the specific needs of borrowers to allow me to offer the best possible mortgage loan solution. Please contact me for further information or assistance!

JS Realty Keith Harris
Keith Harris
NMLS # 838973

Keith Harris
Senior Loan Officer
Intercoastal Mortgage Company
Direct: (703) 259-0788
NMLS ID # 838973


 

GATED COMMUNITIES IN LOUDOUN

Loudoun County offers a wide variety of gated communities. Whether you’re looking for a condo priced around $200,000 or a multi- million dollar home on 6 acres, Loudoun County has you covered. The JS Realty Team @ Samson Properties has the knowledge and experience to help our clients buy or sell in all of these gated communities.

JS Realty Gated Comm Belmont entranceBELMONT in Ashburn is a magnificent gated community offering condos from around $200,000 up to million dollar estate homes. Belmont also offers a wide variety of town homes. Featuring wonderful community amenities such as a championship golf club, clubhouse, pools, dining, tennis, fitness and much more! Learn more about the history and amenities by visiting their website.

JS Realty Gated Comm Creighton-Farms-ClubhouseCREIGHTON FARMS in Aldie, Virginia is an extraordinary custom home, gated community with a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Crieghton Farms boasts 184 home sites sitting on 900 breathtaking acres. Owners can choose from 1+ acre custom villas or 3-7 acre custom estates. The wealth of amenities and activities make this a world–class neighborhood. An elegant 34,000 square foot American Vernacular-style Clubhouse houses and hosts many of the community members focused facilities and programs.

JS Realty Gated Comm ParksidePARKSIDE AT ASHBURN offers affordable townhomes in a gated community. Most of the luxury townhomes are 3-level homes with 2-car garages. Parkside offers a considerable amount of private greenspace for recreation areas, basketball court, walking areas and courtyards. In addition, the community offers a resort style pool with a clubhouse, fitness areas and children’s play areas. As an added bonus, Parkside is only a mile away from the future terminus of the Metro’s Silver Line!

JS Realty River Creek Main Gate Lower waterfallRIVER CREEK was the area’s first gated community. Situated near the Potomac River in Leesburg, River Creek also has a championship Golf Course owned by ClubCorp Network – which owns hundreds of golf courses across the United States. River Creek has 1,100 homes spread out through 20 neighborhoods covering 600 acres. About half the homes are single family homes with the other half compromising of town homes and patio homes. A Clubhouse, restaurant, tennis courts, and pools are just a few of the many amenities that River Creek offers. All types of families call River Creek their home, from empty-nesters to families with children, and everything in between.

Loudoun County is also home to 2 active adult retirement communities – Lansdowne Woods in Leesburg and Potomac Green in Ashburn.

Photo Credit: Bob Nakamura
Photo Credit: Bob Nakamura

Previously known as “Leisure World”, LANSDOWNE WOODS offers prestigious home ownership in one of 4 high-rise condo buildings or in one of their 3 low-rise buildings. Featuring resort-style living with ballrooms, fitness facilities, saunas, indoor swimming pool, hot tub, massages, rooftop tennis courts and much more!


JS Realty Gated Comm Potomac GreenPOTOMAC GREEN
 offers a range of condos with prices ranging from $216,000-$391,000. Plenty of activities abound with 29,000 square foot clubhouse, indoor & outdoor pools, tennis & bocce courts, walking & jogging trails, billards and game rooms, indoor walking track and over 25 clubs and committees to entertain everyone’s needs.

From a small 1 bedroom condo to a multi-million dollar estate, Loudoun County has a gated community to fit your needs! Feel free to contact us for information on available properties in one of the communities listed here. We can help you find the home of your dreams!

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FRIENDS OF HOMELESS ANIMALS

Why we support the Friends of Homeless Animals

We have recently been discussing some wonderful local charities. Today we are sharing more about one of favorites, Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA). Friends of Homeless Animals is one of the top 4 local charities that the JS Realty Team supports by raising money and volunteering at during their local events. We even attended their dog walking course so we can visit the property and give the dogs some much needed attention and time. We all love our furry friends and they need help too!

JS Realty Cute Little Chihuahua Wearing A Blue JumperFOHA strives to: bring an end to the unnecessary killing of companion animals, provide a safe haven for abused and abandoned animals, provide food, shelter, medical care, rehabilitation, and compassion to homeless animals, find permanent, loving homes for the animals in our care and most importantly, bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets and every dog and cat can be guaranteed a loving home.

FOHA is located in Aldie, VA and was founded by Judge Anne Lewis in 1973. She was inspired to open a no kill shelter and devoted the next 32 years of her life to homeless animals. Still in operation today, they strive to provide the highest quality medical care possible and have a careful adoption process and a unique lifetime pet return policy.jsrealty4u animalsOver the last four decades, FOHA has saved and placed in forever homes tens of thousands of dogs and cats who would otherwise have been abandoned or killed. This is the legacy of Anne Lewis.

To find out more about adopting your next pet, or if you are interested in volunteering or donating, please contact FOHA.

LABOR DAY EVENTS IN VIRGINIA

Labor Day is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. This year, Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7th.

Several local, and quite a few “not-so-local” events are sure to have you enjoying some of the last days of the summer.

GREAT COUNTRY FARM’S ANNUAL CIDER FESTIVAL
JS Realty Labor Day Apple BasketEvery weekend in September, from 9AM – 6PM!
18780 Foggy Bottom Road
Bluemont, VA

Live demonstrations and music, a corn maze, freshly pressed cider, freshly picked apples, and more! It’s a great way to end the summer and get ready for fall. For ticket information, visit the Great Country Farm website.

MICK’S 6TH ANNIVERSARY DISCO PARTY
JS Realty Labor Day DiscoSaturday, September 5th
9PM – 2AM

Mick’s Restaurant & Sports Lounge
2866 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Stafford, VA

Food, drinks, and fun! Grab your go-go boots and tie-dye shirts, and get to groovin’ & shakin’ at the disco in honor of their 6th Anniversary!

BRAMBLETON’S “DOGGONE WILD POOL PARTY”
JS Realty Brambleton Dog LaborSunday, September 6th
2PM – 6PM
Community Center Pool
42645 Regal Wood Drive
Brambleton, VA
Registration Required

Bring the pups out for a swim! The Community Center Pool will be open for the dogs (sorry humans, you have to sit this one out!) as the last swim session of the season. All dogs are welcome to splash in the water for up to 2 hours. $5 Entrance Fee Per Dog, or donation from the FOHA Wish List 

SULLY PLANTATION 40TH RESTORATION ANNIVERSARY
Sully Historic Site Plantation Labor JSRealty4USunday, September 6
11AM – 4PM
3650 Historic Sully Way
Chantilly, VA

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the restoration of Sully Historic Site! Enjoy FREE tours, exhibits, activities, and refreshments, along with a ceremony at 1PM.

ANNUAL HERNDON LABOR DAY FESTIVAL
JS Realty Labor Day Herndon LogoMonday, September 7
11AM – 5PM
Herndon Town Green
777 Lynn Street
Herndon, VA

Labor Day Festival on the Town Green in Historic Downtown Herndon. Presented in collaboration with the Herndon Woman’s Club, the event features nationally and regionally known entertainers on the main stage, unlimited Virginia wine tasting, gourmet food, a Fine Arts show and Virginia microbreweries! For admission and a schedule of events visit their website.

va lovers sign js realtyIf you don’t mind a bit of travelling, there are a number of events in the Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge region, Coastal Virginia, and more. For a list of events, visit the Virginia is for Lovers website and enjoy some Labor Day fun!


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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

GENEROSITY FEEDS

Living in Northern Virginia we all have a lot to be thankful for. Last week we blogged about how we decided to partner with 4 local charities to do our part in giving back to Loudoun County and the surrounding communities. The first organization we highlighted was Serve our Wounded Warriors. The JS Realty Team has learned and grown a lot by researching and selecting charities to work with. This has been a passion we have wanted to implement for a while and we are fortunate to be able to kick off our donations and volunteering to these four special organizations.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Generosity Feeds.

JS Realty Generosity Feeds1 in 5 children in America struggle with hunger. In Loudoun County around 13% of our students qualify for reduced or free meals in our schools. Generosity Feeds takes the next step by ensuring that those children have food when they are not at school. Their experienced team works with organizations to mobilize hundreds of volunteers to package 10,000 or more meals in just a couple of hours. These meals are then distributed to local schools and food banks that facilitate the delivery of the meals to the children that need it.

JS Realty Generosity FeedsWe recently met with the President of Generosity Feeds, Ron Klabunde, and came away from the meeting knowing that we wanted to one day be able to sponsor a packaging event. Ron’s insight into how the process worked and the way they were able to get the free meals to the children in our community was inspiring. Ron and his team are working to “decrease effects of food insecurity on children in your area by packaging and providing nutritious and delicious meals for those children in need”. Their vision is to feed hungry children in every county throughout America. They have already succeeded in our area, as well as many other counties across America.

JSrealty4u generosity feedsReady to get involved? Want to help make a difference? We encourage you to JOIN THE JS REALTY TEAM at the next Generosity Feeds event on Saturday, September 12th in Chantilly, VA and help us make 10,000 meals! This is a family event, and children as young as 3 can participate.

If you’re not able to attend in person, you can still donate! As little as $30 can help feed 30 children. Event registration and additional details can be found here.

We hope to see you there!


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The JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.

WILLING WARRIORS CHARITY

The JS Realty Team is committed to giving back to our community through monetary donations and by volunteering our time. After researching local charities we painstakingly narrowed our selections down to four that we are now building a relationship with. Over the next few weeks we will be highlighting each of the organization to raise awareness and show you what it was that made us want to work with them.

SOWW charityToday we point the spotlight at Serve Our Willing Warriors (SOWW).

For over 9 years this organization has been providing “a little taste of home” for wounded, ill, and injured warriors. SOWW started in 2006 with a grassroots campaign with a small group from a local church in Haymarket, VA. They started off sponsoring events such as gift-giving at holidays, summer cookouts, and visitation for lonely service and family members. These volunteers came away with an enormous desire to do more for these incredible service members. The original volunteers were moved by the remarkable sense of community, mutual support and can-do attitudes of the injured service members who faced such daunting challenges. That was when they knew they had to do more. JS Realty SOWW RetreatThrough their visits they discovered a need for a little piece of a “normal life” for the service members. This lead to their mission to provide our country’s recovering wounded, ill, and injured warriors and their families with encouragement, support and even a vacation from their daily norm. Something like a “home away from home.”

With this in mind, SOWW recently opened The Bull Run Warrior Retreat in Haymarket. The retreat is located on 44 acres on the edge of the Bull Run Mountains. At the moment there is an 11,000 sq. ft. home with plans to add 3 cottages to increase the room for outpatient warriors and their families to spend well needed vacation breaks from the hospital environment. The next stage will be to add additional amenities to the property including gardens, walking trails, a pond, and much more.SOWW JSRealty4U

SOWW hosts many sponsored events throughout the year to benefit the Bull Run Warrior Retreat. JS Realty SOWW 1st Golf TourneyThis fall, come out and join the JS Realty Team at the SOWW 3rd Annual Golf Tournament on October 5th! You can download the Golf Tournament flyer for more information. For you serious (and casual) bike riders, the 2nd Annual Cycling Charity Ride will take place on October 17th. Additional details can be found on the Cycling flyer. In December, SOWW will continue their tradition of visiting the troops at Walter Reed Medical Center and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital.

As you can see, this touched our hearts and is a charity that we wanted to get involved with. For more information on this remarkable charity and to register for their upcoming events visit their website.


 

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LIVING KIDNEY DONATION

As of this morning, there are over 122,300 people needing a life-saving organ JS Realty UNOS Region Maptransplant in the United States. More than 10,000 of those candidates live in “Region 11” (UNOS designated region consisting of KY, TN, VA, NC, and SC). And 8,527 of them need a Kidney.

Mindy Colonna is one of them.

Mindy and her husband Eddie
Mindy and her husband Eddie

Mindy grew up in Williamsburg, VA, the childhood best friend of Sarah King Taylor. Mindy was the youngest of 4, and has 3 older brothers. She currently lives just outside Williamsburg with her husband Eddie and her son Cody. Mindy was only 19 when she first found out about her kidney disease. Her doctor put her on medication to help slow the process and for 20 years, it seemed to work.  In September of 2014, she started feeling sick and extremely fatigued all the time. After checking in with the doctor, they determined her kidneys were functioning at 70%, which was not cause for immediate concern. Unfortunately not much time passed before Mindy’s hands, feet, and legs began swelling and she discovered her kidney function had dropped down to only 15%.

Mindy with her son Cody
Mindy with her son Cody

Mindy’s husband, Eddie, volunteered to donate one of his kidneys. He got tested and found out he was a match! Unfortunately, the doctors discovered some of his arteries were in such close proximity to the kidney, that they could not perform the procedure safely. Mindy has been on the transplant list since June 2015. She is currently undergoing the second-half of the surgery needed to prepare her veins for dialysis. She will have to do dialysis 3 times a week, for 4 hours each time, until she receives a transplant.


#BIGASKBIGGIVE
JS Realty Big Ask Big Give LogoDid you know a healthy person can donate one of their kidney’s while they are still living? Kidneys from living donors offer better outcomes and a life-saving alternative to the long, uncertain wait of a deceased donor. Living donors allow those in need to plan and schedule their transplant when they need it most. Living donor kidney transplants offer a number of superior benefits, from greater success rates to nearly double the years of function. Living donors not only help those in need get a healthy “living” kidney (when they need one); they also prevent those in need from getting sicker (or dying) while they wait.

If you were healthy enough to do so, would you ever consider donating one of your kidneys? Finding out if you’re a match is almost as simple as knowing your blood type (in Mindy’s case, A+ or O would match).

If you would like more information on how you can help Mindy, please email us at Info@JSRealty4U.com.  

In the meantime, please forward and share this story and help spread the word to raise awareness about being a living donor. You can help save lives!
JS Realty Donate Life Logo

NEW LISTING IN CENTREVILLE, VA

The JS Realty Team is pleased to announce its newest listing in Centreville, VA! This beautiful 6 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home is situated on 5 acres in the Sully Estates.

Located at 14905 Cub Run Park Drive, this immaculate home is conveniently located near Routes 28 & 29, and I-66.

JS Realty Cub Run Park Drive - KitchenStone pathways lead to the front door, where once inside you’ll find beautiful hardwood flooring throughout most of the main level. A new gourmet kitchen awaits with marble flooring, a custom backsplash and gorgeous granite counters.

JS Realty Centreville ListingThree spacious bedrooms with carpeting and large closets can be found upstairs, along with an impressive Master Suite. Marble flooring and wainscoting can be found in the master bath, and includes an over-sized double vanity, 2-person Jacuzzi tub, and seamless glass shower. Two additional bedrooms and a full bath can be found in the finished basement.

TJS Realty Centreville Listinghe professionally landscaped yard includes designer lighting and the two car, attached, side loading garage is off the circular driveway. The 5 acre back yard features a large deck and is surrounded by mature trees.

Learn more about our listing in the video, or visit us online at JSRealty4U.com.

If you would like a private tour of this new listing, call Katie Hofer at 703-508-6654.

JS Realty Free Analysis Contact UsThe JS Realty Team – not only serving Brambleton, serving all of Northern Virginia.